Railroad automatic signaling device



(No Model.)

Y 3 Sheets-Sheet 1. l l P. MERRILL. RAILROAD-AUTOMATIC SIGNALING DEVICE.

No. 600,588. Patented Mar. 15, 1.89.8.

' lm zantor.

(No Model.) I 3 Sheets-Sheet 2.

l P.. MERRILL. v l RAILRAD AUTOMATIC VSI(:}IT1?;LII\IG, DEVICE.

Patented Ma1f.` 15

INVENTOR (No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet'. 3.

P. MERRILL. A RAILROAD AUTOMATIC SIGNALING DEVICE.

No. 600,588. Patented Mala-15, 18498.

v signal.

Miri;

PARKER MERRILL,` OF

'raras ArtNr rrrcn.

S'T. LOUIS, MICHIGAN.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 600,588, dated March 15, 189,8.

Application filed January 30,18 97.

seria No. 621,275. y mamada.)

To @ZZ whom, t may concern.:

Be it known that I, PARKER MERRILL, a citizen of the United States, residing at St. Louis, in the county of Gratiot and State of Michigan, have invented a new and useful Railroad Automatic Signaling Device, of which the following is a specification.

The object of my invention is to provide a simple mechanism which will be operated with certainty by a passing car to raise a signal in advance and in the rear and to lower them again at proper time, also to make a continuous signaling for a moving train at an advantageous distance from the train both front and rear.

The invention will be understood upon reference to the accompanying drawings, in three sheets, forming part of this speciiication.

Figures l to 7 show a plan to use the invention to make air-pressure assist in moving a Figs. S to lO show plan for use of lever and cables with the invention to move signals and to make the continuous-signaling invention. Fig. l shows plan view of the invention at each end of the pipe E. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of what is shown by plan in Fig. l. Fig. 3 is a perspective drawing of the invention, in which the frame A is secured outside the railroad-track and has 'a channel in which the sliding bar B can move back and forth parallel (in alinement) to the railroadtrack. Fig. 4 is a longitudinal section of sliding bar B and rollers a and e. Fig. 5 shows an arrangement for modifying a sudden blow from fast-movin g car by having between the stirrup C and the piston-wrist the loose pin F. Inside the coiled spring b, Fig. 6, is shown an arrangement formodifying the blow at the second trip, where the loose pin G passes through the coiled spring D between its head and the stirrup C and to which the cable F is attached. Fig. 7 shows how the piston-head may be perforated to modify the compression of air, if necessary.

However, the principal invention is claimed to be in the trip or trap device at each end of the pipe, which is more likely to be used, as shown in Figs. 8, 9, and 10,' in pulling levers and cables to move signals. Fig. 8 shows plan view of the trap device with lever and cable attachments, in which the frame A has two channels, in each of which is a sliding bar B, making a double trap, same principle as shown single in Fig. 8. Fig. 9 is a side elevation of what is shown in Fig. S.

The forward end of bar B is held up in its normal position by the antifriction-rollers a and the other end down by rollers e. The higher end of bar B vshows a raised portion with surface at an angle of about forty-five degrees from top of frame A. This raised portion is for the point of contact with a purposely-arranged trip-lever from the car,which :is best shown in Fig. 2, where X is the triplever, which pulls the bar B along with it until a depression of the upper surface in frame A allows it to drop away from the trip-lever, and if not always by its own weight it will be forced down on account of the angle at point of contact, when the rollers e have moved as far as the channel will allow and holds bar B from going farther. This bar B has attached to it by the pin fo the stirrup C, which is connected with a piston in the enlarged portion D of the pipe F.. `As this piston is driven ahead by theforce of the car the air in the pipe E is compressed against a similar piston in the opposite end of the pipe and drives it ahead. This second 'piston has connected to it at m the cable f, which passes around the stationary pulley H to the stirrup C, which is attached to the bar B, which is drawn back to the position indicated by the dotted lines in Fig. 2. The dotted lines, Fig. 2, indicate the position of the parts when the car is between the two trips or traps, and the shaded drawing is its normal position; When the trip-lever makes the second trip and pulls the bar B from its dotted-line position to its normal position, the cable f is drawn around the pulley H, forcing the piston and air in a reverse direction from that made by the iirst trip and driving the pistons and the bar B back to their normal position.V The signal Z on its post O is moved by the rod n, which is attached to the wrist m at the end of the piston by eye and pin and to the signal, and when the piston is driven ahead the signal will take the position indicated by the dotted lines, and when the piston is driven in reverse direction the signal will be brought to its normal position. 'L' is a groove in pipe for the wrist attached to the piston to move in.

ICO

In the frame A and beneath the bars B are channeled the horizontal sliding bars l and 2, to which the bars B are attached at the lower end by eye and pin. The bars l and 2 extend through the frame A, projecting at front and rear. The bar lis attached to end of pivoted lever l by coiled spring. At opposite end of lever l is attached cable 2, which is carried ahead the desired distance for next trap and signal and there attached to bar 2 by coiled spring between cable and bar, as shown. The object of the coiled springs is to modify sudden pull. To end nearest trap of lever l is attached cable l, which goes to signal post O' and around fixed pulley up to and attached to lightest end of pivoted signal-board l. At front end of trap and attached to front end of bar 2 is cable 2', which goes to signal-post O and around a fixed pulley, then up and attached to lightest end of pivoted signal-board 2", the working of which is best shown in Fig. l0 in perspective, showing three of the double traps in different positions, with two lines drawn below them representing rails of railroad-track. The view to the right in Fig. l0 shows the trap and signals in normal position. The view to the left in Fig. lO shows position after trip-lever from car has pulled both bars B ahead, at same time pulling inner end of lever l ahead and pulling cable l, which elevates the longer end of signal l for a rear signal, at the same time by the lever l and cable 2/ pulling the bar 2 and bar B from its normal position at next trap ahead to the position shown in the middle view in Fig. l0, at the same time pulling cable 2 and elevating the longer end of pivoted signal 2 for a front signal. When the car with the trip-lever X reaches the trap shown in the middle view Fig. l0 and pulls the bars B ahead, the rear signal at that trap is thrown up and front signal at trap ahead in same manner, as before explained, at first trap. When the bar 2 is carried ahead, cable 2 is loosened and the first-used front signal 2'l drops to its normal position. The iirstused cable 2/ is also pulled ahead and the firstused lever lis pulled to its normal position, loosening cable l and allowing first-used rear signal l to drop to its normal position, at the same time pulling the outside bar B of irst trap used back to its normal position, which normal position is shown in right-hand viewr Fig. '10. For signaling in reverse direction the same to be used on opposite side of track.

The cables 2 can be carried through conduits where necessary and through guides with rollers around curves.

The same invention can also be used to move crossinggates or switches for sidings.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, iS

l. In an automatic signaling device, the combination of the trap-frame A with the sliding bar B and the antifriction-rollers a and e with the depressed portion of the track for the rollers a in frame A which allows bar B to drop away and become disengaged from trip-lever of passing car, substantially as set forth.

2. In an automatic signaling device the combination in one trap-frame of two sliding bars, attached to separate cables and moved any desired distance in same direction as a passing car, both at same time by trip-lever from the passing car, substantially as described.

3. In an automatic signaling device, the trap-frame A, the channel for the sliding bar B, the transverse channel for the rollers c and the change in alinement of track for rollers d to allow a change of direction for sliding bar B, substantially as shown.

4:. In an automatic signaling device, the combination of a sliding bar in operative position arranged so that it maybe moved by a trip-lever from a passing car, with cables having flexible connections, connecting with a similar sliding bar out of operative position, so arranged that the trip-lever moves the sliding bar that is in operative position, and thereby pulls the similar sliding bar into operative position for a car with trip-lever passing in same direction, and the cables extending to signals at front and rear of each sliding bar, substantially as described.

PARKER MERRILL.

Witnesses:

E. O. PHILLIPS, GRACE E. GAY. 

